Pope Francis: Uniform Worldliness Brings Us to Reject the Word of God

Calls on Faithful to Reject Temptation of Misunderstood Sense of Normality

VATICAN CITY, January 17, 2014 (Zenit.org) - A misunderstood sense of normality can lead us to forget the Word of God, causing us to live as if God did not exist.

This was the central point of Pope Francis' homily this morning at Casa Santa Marta.

The first reading from the book of Samuel recalled the Israelites asking Samuel to appoint a king over them in order to be like other nations. This temptation to want to be "normal" instead of being "children of God", the Pope said, brings us to a "uniform worldliness".

"In that moment the people rejected God: they not only not listen to the Word of God, but reject it," he said. "They reject the Lord of love, they reject the election and look for the path of worldliness."

The Holy Father said that even now, this temptation of uniform worldliness exists, where many reject the Word of God for whatever is in style. "Apostasy is precisely the sin of breaking with the Lord, but it is clear: apostasy can be seen clearly. This is more dangerous, worldliness, because it is more subtle," he said.

While acknowledging that a Christian should be a "normal" person, the Pope said that there are values that a Christian cannot obtain on his own. To resist the temptation of being "normal" in the worldly sense, is to resist the temptation of "considering oneself as a victim of an inferiority complex."

Concluding his homily, Pope Francis invited the faithful to join in prayer so that God may grant "the grace to overcome our selfishness: 'the selfishness to do my own thing, the way I want.'"

"Let us ask for the grace to overcome it and let us ask for the grace of spiritual docility, that is to open the heart to the Word of God to not do as our brothers have done, who have closed their hearts because they were distant from God and for a long time did not listen or understand the Word of God," he said.

"May the Lord give us the grace of an open heart to receive the Word of God and to always meditate on it. And from there to take the true road." (J.A.E.)

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